I Don’t Feel Like Laughing But I Will Try

This is the latest video of Dr. Kataria on You tube which is fast becoming popular. How can you laugh when you don’t feel like laughing? This goes very well with the concept and philosophy of Laughter Yoga – Motion Creates emotion. Before reading this theory, just watch this video.

Theory of Motion Creates Emotion

There is a well-established link between the body and mind. Whatever happens to the mind also happens to the body. For example, notice that depressed and sad people show depression and sadness through their bodily actions. Speech and movement are visibly slowed.

Dr. Kataria relates, “My father said whenever you are sad, don’t sit idle. Keep your body busy, engage in physical activity, go for a walk or jog and you will feel definitely feel better. And this is true. I did feel better by keeping my body active.” When unhappy, even behaving or acting happy will bring the mind to a state of happiness. Bring laughter to your body and your mind will soon follow.

The two-way link between body and mind:

Laughter Yoga uses the two-way body-mind link to change the state of mind through voluntary physical gestures including repetitive clapping, chanting, and specific body movements, together with laughter and breathing exercises. This effect is so powerful that we have seen Laughter Yoga overcome severe depression in thousands of people all over the world. Psychologist William James in 1884 found that the state of mind, whether positive or negative, is mirrored in a matching bodily expression or ‘body behavior’. In his research he found that each emotion in the mind has a corresponding behavior in the body. He discovered that bodily enacting of any emotional behavior triggers corresponding changes in the state of mind. The connection works both from mind to body and body to mind.

Consider that:

Sexual thoughts lead to arousal of sex organs in the body, but stimulation of the body’s erogenous zones also induces sexual arousal in the mind.

Acting sad and depressed (for example sitting in a moping, depressed posture and replying to questions in a sad and dismal voice) soon leads to real emotional sadness.

Actors who portray strong emotions often tell of real-life emotional repercussions. Many film and theatre actors have told Dr. Kataria that while performing tragic roles they experience a real sadness.

Dr. Dale Anderson, MD (Minnesota USA) tells of an American actress who played tragic roles for so long that she fell into a depression with classical physical symptoms. After extensive physical testing, her doctors declared her physically healthy, but psychologists suggested she stop playing tragic roles and turn to comedy. She followed their advice and soon her symptoms and depression completely disappeared.

The same phenomenon can be observed in athletes participating in competitive sports. Physically they act in a brave and courageous manner, shouting and making body gestures to put their mind into a positive (winning) state, thus reducing their fear and anxiety. Soldiers use similar tactics when preparing to attack, often shouting at the top of their voices to ‘psych themselves up’. This bodily expression of courage creates matching emotions in the mind.